Fight over TV indecency is on high court's doorstep

FIGHT OVER TV INDECENCY IS ON HIGH COURT'S DOORSTEP
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Joan Biskupic]
As broadcast TV pushes the limits of sexual content to compete against its racier and unregulated cable competitors, should an occasional expletive be allowed? Or can the FCC completely stamp out what it views as verbal smut on broadcast television, in the name of family-friendly programming? The Supreme Court soon will decide whether to wade into the dispute and, for the first time since 1978, dictate indecency rules for the airwaves. No matter what the court does in the case pitting Fox against the FCC, the battle could lead to new standards for broadcast networks. Already, the FCC's tough stance could be changing what Americans see on live TV. Live TV has become the focus of the fight over censorship. Sexual situations and coarse language are now routine in prime-time dramas and "reality" shows, but expletives are not. Many fear broadcast TV is adopting cable's coarser approach. That culture is most evident during awards programs, which showcase unpredictable and unscripted moments.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20071025/1a_cover23.art.htm

* Key dates behind FCC crackdown
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20071025/1a_dirty_timeline23.art.htm